KC-135R Mid Air Collision 12 Mar 2026

[Saab34]

News still in the early stages but a USAF KC135 is apparently down.

 

[serfty]

News still in the early stages but a USAF KC135 is apparently down.

Seems an accident ...

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft has reportedly gone down in friendly airspace in western Iraq during combat operations against Iran, U.S. Central Command announced in a release Thursday.

Two aircraft were reportedly involved in the incident, the statement read, and “one of the aircraft went down.” The second aircraft landed safely, it added.

“The incident was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” the release said.

The CENTCOM statement did not clarify whether the aircraft had crashed, noting only that “U.S. Central Command is aware of the loss a U.S. KC-135.”

https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/4432850/loss-of-us-kc-135-over-iraq/

 

[OATEK]

News still in the early stages but a USAF KC135 is apparently down.

Just announced on the TV news that it was an accident, the tanker went down and the other aircraft landed safely.

 

[Saab34]

I guess Iraq is a non radar environment?

 

[markis10]

I guess Iraq is a non radar environment?

Probably plenty around, not that they use radar during inflight refuelling, optical nigs just like your plane going to the gate. Any separation would be provided by the Hawkeyes/E3s and RAAF wedgetail airborne. The incident involved two KC135s.

 

[RooFlyer]

This has been reported in the news of the Iran war - Juan Browne here; not a hellavalot yet.

 

[Quickstatus]

Perhaps this is one of the aircraft (Trigger alert: from Insta)